Oak Ridge Today

Covenant Health donating land for Roane State health science center

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Covenant Health is donating about 10 acres of land for Roane State Community College’s new $75 million regional health science training center in west Knox County.

The Knox Regional Health Science and Simulation Center will be along Sherill Boulevard, across the street from Parkwest Medical Center. That hospital and medical center is near the intersection of Interstate 40 and Pellissippi Parkway (State Route 162).

Officials from Roane State Community College, the Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) Knoxville, and Covenant Health will celebrate the land transfer on Friday.

The new center was announced in early 2022. Roane State said project construction is expected to begin later this year.

[Read more…]

Roane State graduation set for May 4-5

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Mike Krause

Mike Krause

 

Roane State Community College will hold commencement ceremonies on May 4-5.

The ceremonies, to be held in the gym on the Roane County campus in Harriman, will be equal in presentation. [Read more…]

Tennessee Higher Education Commission awards Roane State a Tennessee Promise Forward Grant

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Tennessee Promise Logo

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission has awarded a $91,940 Tennessee Promise Forward grant to Roane State Community College to develop and expand innovative student success and retention programs.

Through the grant, Roane State will work to enable more Tennessee Promise students to earn a post-secondary credential, a press release said.

“Across our state’s community colleges, great work is being done to ensure that the students who begin college with the Tennessee Promise go on to earn a credential,” said Mike Krause, executive director of Tennessee Higher Education Commission, or THEC. “Tennessee Promise Forward grants provide community colleges with the opportunity to expand successful programs and develop innovative student supports. From parent engagement pilots to service learning, THEC is excited to see the impact that this year’s Tennessee Promise Forward grants have on student success.” [Read more…]

A first of its kind: UT, ORNL offer ‘big data’ doctorate

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The use of big data—collecting and interpreting vast amounts of information—has rapidly grown in importance across areas ranging from health care to nuclear security.

To help meet that demand, the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and Oak Ridge National Laboratory have created a first-of-its kind data science and engineering doctoral program, the only one in the United States to pair a university and national laboratory and one of just three such big data doctoral programs in the U.S. overall, a press release said.

The program, which was announced at the spring UT Board of Trustees meeting, hopes to enroll 15 Ph.D. candidates when it begins this fall, with the eventual goal of having 100 students at any given time.

In granting approval for the new program last week, the Tennessee Higher Education Commission noted that it is an answer to its call for the state’s higher education institutions to strengthen graduate-level education and address challenges befitting top research institutions, the press release said. [Read more…]

Tennessee higher education leaders met to help transfer students succeed

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Public and private university officials, whose work serves as a key to the success of Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam’s Drive to 55 initiative, met in February to collect more tools for growing the number of college-educated Tennesseans.

More than 130 transfer counselors, registrars, and advising directors from Tennessee’s public and private colleges and universities met in Murfreesboro on February 22-23 for the 2017 Tennessee Transfer Summit.

Attendees heard from transfer expert Janet Marling. Marling is vice president for student affairs at the University of North Georgia and executive director of the National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students. She gave the keynote address on resolving obstacles to transfer student success.

India Lane, University of Tennessee associate vice president for academic affairs and student success, said collaboration is key for successful college transfers. [Read more…]

TN College of Applied Technology gets $5.7 million grant for Anderson County facility

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tennessee-college-of-applied-technology-knoxville

The Tennessee College of Applied Technology Knoxville will receive a $5.7 million Drive to 55 Capacity Fund Grant to be used for a training facility in Anderson County, state officials said Thursday.

The grant was announced by Tennessee Senator Randy McNally, an Oak Ridge Republican; Representative John Ragan, an Oak Ridge Republican; and Representative Dennis Powers, a Jacksboro Republican after they were notified by Governor Bill Haslam and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, or THEC.

“It is critical that we prepare our students with the skills they need for 21st century jobs,” said McNally, who as Finance Committee Chairman has supported the Drive to 55 Capacity grants. “This grant not only aids us in that effort, but also helps us bring new jobs to Tennessee as businesses are looking for a skilled workforce. I am very pleased that these funds will be coming to Anderson County.” [Read more…]

Roane State graduation set for May 6-7

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Willie Gallaher

Willie Gallaher

Roane State Community College will hold its commencement ceremonies on May 6-7.

Both events, to be held in the gym on the Roane County campus in Harriman, will be equal in presentation.

  • Friday, May 6, at 7 p.m. (Eastern) for recipients of the Associate of Applied Science degree (A.A.S) in nursing, recipients of A.A.S. degrees in allied health sciences, and for recipients of certificates in allied health sciences.
  • Saturday, May 7, at 10 a.m. (Eastern) for recipients of Associate of Arts degrees and Associate of Science degrees, recipients of the Associate of Science in Teaching, and for recipients of A.A.S. degrees or certificates in all other fields.

The Friday ceremony will also include the graduation of Roane State’s first Middle College students. Middle College allows high school students to take college classes in their junior and senior years of high school and then graduate with their diploma and their associate degree. [Read more…]

Roane State to celebrate its LEAP grant on Leap Day

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Roane-State-Mechantronics

The mechatronics program at Roane State Community College prepares students for technology-driven manufacturing careers. (Photo by RSCC)

 

Roane State Community College received a workforce development grant last year, and the school will celebrate the LEAP grant on February 29, Leap Day, with mechatronics demonstrations, robotics teams from area high schools, and refreshments.

“Because Monday, February 29, is Leap Day, it’s the perfect time for Roane State Community College to celebrate its LEAP grant,” a press release said.

The $970,000 Labor Education Alignment Program, or LEAP, grant helped Roane State expand its one-year mechatronics program into a two-year degree and to offer dual credit mechatronics course for students at area high schools.

The Leap Day celebration is scheduled from 9-11 a.m. on Monday, February 29, at the college’s Higher Education and Workforce Training Facility in Clinton at 214 Nave Street. The public is invited. [Read more…]

Roane State receives $27K grant for outreach, support for adult students

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Roane State Community College Harriman Campus

The main Roane State Community College campus in Harriman. The college also has a branch campus in Oak Ridge.

Roane State Community College has received a $27,310 Tennessee Higher Education Commission Ready to Reconnect grant to support adult students.

The grant will fund communication tools (email newsletter, texting services, and mailings) that will help adult students better understand their degree options and how to navigate the enrollment process. The grant will also pay for training that will teach faculty how to assess whether adults’ work experience could count toward college credit.

“Increasing outreach to adult students and improving the process for awarding adults college credit for their work experience are two key areas that can lead to more adults completing degrees,” said Diane Ward, Roane State vice president for student learning. “With the Ready to Reconnect grant, we can take major steps forward in these areas and better serve adult learners in our communities.” [Read more…]